The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-05-13
TIE FARMERs, ERlENp.

THE FARMERS FRIEND.
In ksslnaati.g The Bs~ents 81 the Prssse-
tive eysasm tn Agriculture. Improvsd
machinery and TransD0Ptatloa Facilities
Should He Tsksa late Censiasratssa
1t is the object Of the protective sys-
tenn to secure better rewards for labor
Of all kinds, and in that It has not
failed. The official statements of Mr..
Dodge. Statistician Of the Bureau Of
Agriculture. established beyond doubt
the fact that the wages paid to farm la
Dor have increased since the protective
tariff was adopted. as the wages paid
to other labor have increased. But the
cost of labor is not to be reckoned by a
mere comparison Of wages paid. The
efficiency Of the labor employed is to be
taken into account. Almost innnrera-
bic inventions within the past thirty
years have wonderfully increased the
efficiency Of all labor. and that change
has been scarcely less important in re.
spect to farm labor than in shops. the
mills or the mines. The spirit Of en-
ventiOn. stimulated by the enormous
home demand, has brought into exist
ence n countless variety of farming
tools and machines. designed to econo-
mize or to multiply the labor of the
hands employed. While no statlstician
can accurately measure the increase in
the efficiency of human labor on the
farms which has resulted from these
inventions. no farmer will deny that
the change in this respect has been
very great. Nor should it be forgot
ten that the supply of these labor
saving tools is to be attributed, not
merely to the marvellous inventive
genius Of Americans, which is per-
manent force operating under all con-
ditions of tariff. but especially to the
marvellous development of manufact-
ures. which has been peculiarly fos-
tered within the past twenty-seven
years. and by which farming and other
tools are now supplied to those who
use them in this country at cost far
below the cost of the less eff.
cient tools and implements used
a quarter of a century ago.
Indeed. SO great is the change
that within the past year there has been
heard the murmur of discomfort and
threatened secession from the DOmin-
ion of Canada, in distant Manitoba. be-
cause the farmers of that region. not
content with the blessings of British
Government, were denied freedom to
purchase American farm implements
and machinery by the policy of their
Government.
The efficiency Of farm labor having
been thus greatly increased. an increase
in the wages paid is but legitimate re-
suit. 1t does not follow that the farm
err, paying more money for more pro-
ductive labor. does not realize larger
profit than he did before the war. But
rs to the question of prices much is yet
to be said. At the great commercial
ccnters. where the prices of important
products are fixed. those prices depend
in great measure upon the cost of
transportation. Within the past
years the change i'm that
particular has been most remarkable.
To-day the railroads are transporting
wheat and corn from Chicago to New
York ut about 20 cents per hundred
pounds. hardly third of the rate
charged during the first four months of
the year 1860. For six months of that
year the rail rate for wheat was IS
cents per 100 pounds. in October.
81 cents; in july. August q and
September, so cents, and in May
and June As cents, so that the lowest
rate charged at any time during the
last year prior to the enactment Of the
protective tariff was more than double
the rate now charged by the railroads
in winter. The average rate charged
for transportation of all kinds, local as
well rs through, has been reduced on
roads throughout the country more
than one-half since the protective
tariff went into effect. A necessary
of this reduction is that |
prices to consumers in the great mar !
kets Of the East have been materially |
especially for those products
which have to be transported long dis
.ances and which are most bulky in
proportion to their value. Compare
sons Of prices which overlook this all
important change are dc, sptivc in
they lead the farmer to be-
ieve that the market for his products
IS really less favorable than it formerly
vas, whereas in fact the charge for the
Of products from the
arms to distant consumers has been re-
iuced fully one-half, and part of the re-
'ulting advantage has been realized in
over prices to consumers, while an
,ther part has been realized in higher
prices to the farmers and in larger re-
.urns for their tOil.-N Y. Tribune.
Emperor Williams Fortune.
1t appears that the Emperor has had
lis fortune told twice The fret time